Removing windshield tie-down bumpers

[ek1]

Just got a new 2023 Jeep. Trying to remove windshield tie-down bumpers. I'm never going to fold the windshield down, so they are totally useless to me. I am going to install paint protection film on the hood, so cutting the film around these things will be a major PITA, plus they are in my face when I'm driving. I hate the way they look.

I found some very old threads on other Jeep forums, but they are all for JK. People installed plastic plugs, extra windshield washers, UFOs (metal plugs with screws) etc.

Questions:

1. Are there holes in the hood underneath these bumpers?
2. Is the paint underneath the bumpers damaged from bumpers being attached to the hood?
3. If there are holes, are they still 1/2" in diameter, like on JKs?
4. I'm thinking of getting a pair of 1/2" plastic plugs on Amazon and spray painting them in body color (Sting gray) or just leaving them unpainted. Anyone else here did anything else to cover the holes?

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[BDinTX]

Pretty sure your windshield washer nozzles are housed in these.

 

[Obi Wan]

 

[TX_Ovrlnd]

If you installed the performance wipers with the nozzles attached to the arms you would forgo the need for those bumpers and stock location washer nozzles. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to use washer fluid.

 

[Speed331]

Pretty sure your windshield washer nozzles are housed in these.

He'll need to add the 'clean sweep' wiper blades...

 

[Industrialwrench]

If you delete them, make sure you post a pic. I’d love to see how it turns out.

 

[There’sOnlyOne]

They sell body colored covers, that would help blend them in with hood.

 

[4x4tographer]

Yes there are holes that the bumper snaps/bolts in to, plus provisions for the washer fluid hoses.

They remove with little effort, easiest of you remove the heatshield from under the hood first.

I had to remove them when I went to add some custom vinyl to my hood. Popped them off, applied the vinyl, then cut a few small slits into the vinyl and reinserted the bumpers/washer nozzle.

^^could be a solution for you and your paint protecting film if you don’t go down the “pro wiper” route.

Some photos for you:

 

[ek1]

Pretty sure your windshield washer nozzles are housed in these.

Fok me.....you are right

 

[ek1]

Yes there are holes that the bumper snaps/bolts in to, plus provisions for the washer fluid hoses.

They remove with little effort, easiest of you remove the heatshield from under the hood first.

I had to remove them when I went to add some custom vinyl to my hood. Popped them off, applied the vinyl, then cut a few small slits into the vinyl and reinserted the bumpers/washer nozzle.

^^could be a solution for you and your paint protecting film if you don’t go down the “pro wiper” route.

Some photos for you:

Seems like nothing will be "little effort" in my case......I have a 392 with this wonderful "Hydro-Guide" hood system, so if I wanted to do what you did (which is the right way to do it), I'd have to take the entire system off. Looks like this will take over an hour to take off carefully without damaging any plastic pieces or the body, which means I have 2 choices - either get the PPF shop to do it (99% chance of them damaging the plastic pieces and scratching the body) or doing it myself (more than 2 hours of work). Fun fun fun.....another winning design by Jeep.

Of course a coherent person would just make small holes for washer nozzles and would attach the bumpers with a quality double-sided adhesive tape. But not Jeep designers.....nope. Gotta make FOUR freaking holes in the hood for each bumper. Because what if someone wants to suspend the Jeep from a bridge using these as attachment points...right?

Here is a video describing the removal process in case another 392 owner comes across this thread:

 

[ek1]

They sell body colored covers, that would help blend them in with hood.

Yeah I just found a bunch on Amazon, but not a single vendor sells them in actual Jeep body colors. Most sell black, fake carbon fiber, green, pink, red, etc. I need sting-gray.

If you know a vendor that sells these in actual Jeep body colors, please post a link. Otherwise I may have to buy a black set and spray paint them (another giant waste of time)

 

[Sazabi19]

The nozzle sits in the groove in that bumper, you could in theory take the bumpers off and leave the washer nozzle there but it wouldn't be protected very well. As someone points out above there are holes to cover as well. If you are putting a vinyl there then that would cover the holes potentially but you'd still see the outline of them, depending how closely you looked. I did a custom 1941 decal on my JLR and said never again...

 

[ek1]

The nozzle sits in the groove in that bumper, you could in theory take the bumpers off and leave the washer nozzle there but it wouldn't be protected very well. As someone points out above there are holes to cover as well. If you are putting a vinyl there then that would cover the holes potentially but you'd still see the outline of them, depending how closely you looked. I did a custom 1941 decal on my JLR and said never again...

Yeah if you look at the earlier post by 4x4tographer, there are FOUR freaking holes in the hood (plus the one for the washer nozzle) for each bumper. Not only that, 2 of those holes are sort of concave, so just covering that with film is asking for problems. I am definitely doing the PPF, so most likely I'll just remove the entire system, take the Jeep to the shop, have them do the film and then put everything back on myself and pray that I don't get any issues. Maybe I'll find a body shop that will just paint the actual bumpers in body color....that should do it.

What a pain in the ass......

 

[There’sOnlyOne]

Yeah I just found a bunch on Amazon, but not a single vendor sells them in actual Jeep body colors. Most sell black, fake carbon fiber, green, pink, red, etc. I need sting-gray.

If you know a vendor that sells these in actual Jeep body colors, please post a link. Otherwise I may have to buy a black set and spray paint them (another giant waste of time)

This company does. Not cheap in my opinion but they do provide the option.

https://jeeptrim.com/collections/interior-jeep-trim/products/hood-wiper-sprayer-covers

 

[mrtm1970]

Here are the body colored painted Hood Windshield Bumper:

Factory Color Painted Windshield Bumper Wrangler JL Gladiator JT 2018-current

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